Car-truck



(No Model.) i 3 Sheets-"Sheet` '1.

' T. CRAWFORD.

GAR TRUCK.

No. 571,263. PatentedvNoV. 10, 1896.

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(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 3.

T. CRAWFORD. GAR TRUCK No. 571,263. Patented Nov. 10, 1896..

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TIIOMAS ORAIVFORD, OF GREEN ISLAND, NEV YORK.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,263, dated November 10, 1896.

Application filed May 8, 1896. Serial No. 590,719. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs CRAWFORD, of Green Island, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention is animprovement in trucks for electric-railway cars, and it has especial reference to the particular structure of the truck and to the mounting of the ear-bodies thereon, as will be clearly understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a complete truck and portion of car-body mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is an end View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of one of the corner castings. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the spring-snpporting swinging links. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are detail views of modifications of the pedestals and springs. Fig. 11 is a view of a modification of the :main bolster-sprin g connection. Fig. 12 is a detail of the main bolster-sprin g connection to car-body. Fig. 13 is a detail of the brace-adj ustin g wedge. Fig. 14 is a transverse section on line 14 14, Fig. 1. Fig. 15 is a detail of one of the end braces.

The top side bars of the truck-frame are composed of two metal bars A A, set edgewise and secured to the upper ends of pedestals B B by bolts d d, as shown. The bars A extend beyond the pedestals at both ends 'of truck, and are united at their extremities to corner castings O by bolts a. The castings U are suitably recessed in their sides to receive the ends of the bars, and are lipped thereover, as shown, to make a strong and rigid connection. The end bars of the truckframe are also composed of two parallel flat bars D D, set edgewise and secured at their ends to castings C below bars A A, as shown.

Each casting O has an inwardlyextending portion c extending between bars A toward the pedestals, and in the extremity of said portion is an inclined slot c', in which is an adjustable wedge E, that may be formed with a threaded tang E, as in Fig. 13, or have a bolt E run therethrough, as in Fig. 3. The upper ends of the end braces F enter slots c and abut against wedges E. Preferably the end braces are composed of parallel bars set edgewise, their lower ends engaging a recess b in the foot of the adjoining pedestal, while their upper ends are formed into or connected to a wedge-shaped head-block F', which iits against the oppositely-inclined face of wed ge E. By simply tightening the nut on bolt E/ or shank E2 the braces can be stiffened or adjusted to any load to be placed on truck.

Below bars A and between and connecting the lower ends of adjoining pedestals B are foot-bars, each composed of two parallel bars G set edgewise, and attached to the pedestals by bolts g, as shown. To the center of bars A is secured a casting II, over which is strung a rodh, the ends of which pass through openings in castings I, secured to and between barsl G, nuts h' being placed on the ends of rod 7L to enable the rod to be tensioned. The object of this rod is to stiften the upper bars A and brace them from bars G, when weight is put upon the outer ends of the truck-frame.

A spring J is placed in each pedestal between bars A, its ends projecting beyond the pedestal and below bars A, as shown. The springs are separately semielliptic, and their outer ends are connected to the upper ends of inclined links j, the lower ends of which are secured in suitable recesses it' in proj ections 75 on the lower ends and sides lof axleboxes K, which are otherwise of ordinary construction, journaled on axles X. The upper ends of links j are preferably concaved, as

shown at j', Fig. 6, to receive the eyes on the' ends of the springs, the eoncavities j being so formed as to relieve the pivot-bolts jg of the strain which they would have to bear if the spring were connected to the links by hingejoints. It will be observedthat this arrangement of springs and vibrating or swinging links constitutes a toggle-sprin g mounting of the truck-frame upon the axle-boxes, the links permitting the freest movement of the springs and preventing any sudden shocks being transmitted to or from the truck-frame As an additional precaution in veryheavy trucks coiled springs J may be secured in castings J 2, attached to bars A directly over IOO the ends of springs J, (see Fig. 1,) so that if the truck be very heavily loaded they will supplement springs J. However, I do not propose to use these supplementary springs on all trucks, the essential features being the spring attached to pedestal or frame, and the swinging links connecting sprin g to axle-box.

In Fig. 8 a metal yoke-strap J 4 is shown which runs over top of springJ and underbars A A to support the latter on the spring. In Fig. D I show two similar yokes J 5, connected at top by a bar J 6, against which the spring bears; in Fig. l0 a metal bar J7, with offset to receive the boss of spring, the ends of bar J 7 bearing against the under side of the top of pedestal, as shown. In Figs. 8, 9, and IO the top of pedestal is cut out to accommodate the yokes and straps. The end bars D are trussed by rods D', which pass under castings d and through suitable openings in castings C, as shown. To the centers of end bars D is secured a step-casting d, upon which is supported the bolster-sprin g L, the ends of which spring are connected by hangers or yokes to the side sill or bolster of the car-body, as indicated in the drawings.

In Fig. 2 angular castings M are bolted to the side sills Y of the car-body, said castings having inwardly-projecting ears M', to which are hinged the klower ends of hangers m, the 4upper ends of which are pivoted to the ends of bolster-spring L, as shown, thus suspending the body in a secure but easy manner upon the truck. From the ears h of each casting M depends a tubular sleeve M2, through which passes a king-bolt N, that also passesinto and through a tubular casting O, secured between the end bars D, adjoining the corner casting C', as shown. The upper end of casting O is provided with a shallow internal flange O", that forms a bearing for a coiled spring n, surrounding the lower end of bolt N, and secured thereon by a washer n2 and nut n', asshown. The springs n on the king-bolts N rwould oppose-the spring L, but they are to be adjusted simply to prevent oscillation or tetering of the body on the springs L,and this they effectually accomplish. There being four king-bolts at the corners of the car both longitudinal and lateral oscillation of the body is prevented. `Coiled springs Z may be placed around the sleeve M2 of the castings to reinforce the spring L.

In Fig. 12 the casting M is replaced by an angular casting P, havin g a downwardly-projecting horn P', onto which is hooked the lower end of an S-shaped socketed hanger p, the upper end of which is recessed to receive the end of spring L, much like the ends of links j are recessed, as above described.

In Fig. .ll I have shown how the parts are arranged when the car is provided with transverse sills y. Then castings@ take the place of castings M, said castings being providedl with ears for attachment of links m, and with openings for the passage of king-bolts N, as shown.

In Fig. 7 the levers I are pivoted by bolts to the pedestals and to the springs.

I do not confine myself to the location of the adjusting-wedge blocks described at the upper end of the braces, as in some cases they might be located at the lower ends conveniently.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure Letters Patent thereon, is-

l. The combination of the axle-boxes, the vibrating or swinging links connected thereto to opposite sides thereof at their lower ends, the spring supported on and connected to the upper ends of said levers and the truck-frame supported on the spring, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the truck-frame, the pedestals attached thereto, the semielliptical spring lying within the pedestal above the journal-box, and the swinging links connecting the ends of said spring to the journal-box, substantially as described.

3. The combinationl of the truck-frame, the pedestals attached thereto, the spring lying within the pedestal above the journal-box, and the swinging links connecting the ends of saidspring to the journal-box, with the coiled springs J for reinforcing the elliptical spring substantially as described.

4. The combination of the truck-frame, the pedestals attached thereto, the semielliptical spring lying within the pedestal above the journal-box, the swinging links connecting the ends of said spring to the journal-box, with the coiled springs'J for reinforcing the elliptical spring with the castings J 2 attached to the truck-frame above links j, j, and -the springs J for reinforcing the elliptical spring, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the journal-box, the links j connected thereto, having recesses j in their free ends; withlthe spring J having its ends engaged in said recesses jsnbstantially as described.

G. In a truck, the combination of the pedestals, the top side bars A, A, connected thereto, the casting II attached to said bars intermediate the pedestals, the lower side bars G, G, attached to the pedestals, the castings I, I, attached to bars G, and the rod h, connected to castings II and G, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the truck-frame, the transverse inverted semielliptic bolstersprings L on the'ends thereof, and the swinging-link hangers pivotally connected to the ends of said springs and to castings on the car-body sills, all substantially as described.

8. The combination of the truck-frame, the car-body, and bolster-springs, and the castings on the car-body' to which the bolsterspring is connected; with the castings O, at-

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tached to the ends of the frame, the kingbolts N, loosely connecting castings O and the castings to which the bolster is connected and the springs n on bolts N, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the truck-fra1ne, the bolster-springs L on the ends thereof, and the hangers connecting the ends of said spring to casting P on the car-body sills, and the castings O on the truck-frame below castings P, With the king-bolts N, connecting castings O and P, and the springs on said bolts, all substantially as described.

l0. In a truck the combination With the end braces, of the adjusting-Wedge blocks, substantially as described, for tightening the braces, substantially as described.

l1. In a truck the combination of the pedestals, the top bars and end castings With the inclined braces as F, and the adj usting-Wedge as E, all substantially as described.

l2. In a truck the combination of the side bars, and pedestals, the corner castings having slots c', adj usting-Wcdges E' in slots c with the end braces F, having Wedge headblock F entering slot c and engaging Wedge E, for the purpose and substantially as described.

13. The combination of the truck-frame, the bolster-spring L, the castings M attached to the car-sills, having depending portions M2, the hangers connecting the ends of the bolster-spring to said castings, and the springs I surrounding parts m of the castings, for the purpose and substantially as described.

14. The combination of the truck-frame, the bolster-spring L, the castings M attached to the car-sills, having depending portions M2, the hangers connecting the ends of the bolster-spring to said castings, and the springs I surrounding parts m of the castings, with the casting O, the king-bolts N, and springs n, all for the purpose and substantially as described.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I ailix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. v

'THOMAS CRAWFORD.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. SAMPLE, DANI.. R. NORTON. 

